8 Interesting facts you may not know about your toenails

Men’s toenails grow faster than women’s. An exception to this is during pregnancy when women’s toenails grow at a faster rate.

Nails grow faster in summer and warm climates.

Toenails are made up of keratin – the same protein as hair.

Fingernails grow 4 times faster than toenails. On average, fingernails grow 3.5 mm per month, while toenails grow about 1.6 mm per month.

When the sole of a baby's foot is firmly stroked, the big toe bends back toward the top of the foot and the other toes fan out. This is a normal reflex up to about 2 years of age.

It is a common myth that white spots on the nail are caused by a calcium deficiency but they are generally just minor nail damage and are nothing to be concerned about.

It takes 5-6 months to re-grow a toenail, even longer for a big toe which can take up to 12 months.

Primates, including humans, are the only animals with nails rather than harder claws.

Why do we have toenails? Toenails are mostly considered to be vestigial which means that they once had a function which has been eliminated – like wisdom teeth or your appendix. They do however provide some protection to the tops of your toes from rubbing on your shoes.